Vera. 29-31.-Fourfold triumph. Each of the foor here brought before us excites admiration for a successful course. As in former illustrations, the images rise up to a. climax, and what is exhibited separately in the earlier ones is united and completed in the final image, I. A _TRIUMPHANT COURSE EXOITF.S EMULATION, 1. True success is good. There are various forms of success. Some are more disgraceful than failure. A low end easily won, or a desirable goal reached by foul means, gives a worthless and even a dete~table victory. But when both means and end are good, there is something admirable in success. 2. This success is continuous. The most worthy triumph is not that of a sudden victory snatched at the end of a long, doubtful contest, but the carry- ing out of a course that is good throughout-a constant series of small daily victories over danger. Thus the lion is admired, not merely because he can bring down his prey by means of a long chase, or after patiently waiting for it in ambush, but because "he turneth not away for any," and of all four the excellence is that they "go well." With every man the true note of triumph is that he " goes well" day by day along the path of duty. 3. This success is measured by the dijficulties overcome. We gauge strength by what it can do, and the best standard may not give visible results in acquisition. 'l'he proof may be seen more in triumph over obstacles. He who persists through o.11 hardship and danger enauring to the end, and faithful unto death, is the true soldier of Christ. II. A TRIUMPHANT CC-URSE MAY BE VARIOUSLY RUN. The good and admirable may be of different forms. Success of the highest kind will be got by each using his own tal_e~ts, not by any vainly imitating those of another. The lion cannot copy the goat's ag1hty, nor the greyhound the lion's strength. Four methods of success are ~e~e suggested. 1. Success may be won by indomitable energy. Thi8 is the charactenst1c of ~he lion. He is strong, and he "turneth not away for any." 2. It may be go~ ~y !wiftness. The greyhound is a feeble creature compared to the lion. Its glory 1s Ill its speed. There is a victory for nimbleness of mind as well as of body. 3. It may be reached by agility. 'l'he hound call fly like the wind over the plain; and the he-goat can pick !ts wo.y among the crags of the precipice and climb to dizzy heights. They ore not hke the eagle that soars Oil its wings, for the quadruped must always_ ~ave some foothold, but with this it can stand without fear in the most precarious pos1t1ons. Skilf~ agility_ will ~nable one to triumph over difficulties, escape _s?ares and _Pitfalls, o.nd nse to daring heights. 4. It may be attained by human qualities. Mo.n i8 feeble as a coney compared to the lion, slow as o. tortoise in the presence of the greyhound, lame o.nd timorous beside that audacious mountainoer the goat. Dut he cau master and outdo all these creatures by the use of melltal and spiritual powers. 111, A TRIUMPHANT COURSE WILL DEVELOP. UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS, Eo.ch of the four is known by its success, as none would be known if the animals were caged iu o. menagerie, and the kina left to enjoy empty pugeantry. The kingly faculty is n?t ouly recognized on a thro;e, As the power to govern, it is witnessed in ~u_sines_,, ID society, and in intellectual regions. 'l'here are bore kings. We see how stmmg times bring such men to the front as the Civil Wars revealed Cromwell. The noblest earthly career is to be a true leader of men. He who stands at the head of the great human family was and is o. Divine King, o.nd his triumph i8 ill his ruling even through shame and death. Ver. 32.-Self-suppression. I. WHEN SELF-SUPPRESSION IS NEEDED, It is not always equally demanded of us. 'l'here are times for expression, times when we should b_rct\k reserve and give forth freely the thoughts and purposes of our souls. But other times demand peculiar self-suppression. 1. In ,:ebu~e of foolish vanity. "If thou hast d,o,ne foolishly in lifting up thyself." A mag~1fied 1mage_o_f self ueed8 to be reduced. loo much pretension must be humbled. Selfish ambition must be cast _down. 2. In re1Jtrai1, t of evil thinking. "Or if thou hast thought evil." ~es!1s Chnst has taught us that evil thinking is sin (Matt. v. 28). Dut t~e sooner the BID 1s checke~ the better, and it can be best checked before it bas emerged ID word or deed. Expression empha- fiSG THE PROVERBS. [OH, ·.s:x.x, 1-33.
sizes an evil thought. A publication of it makes it hurtful to others. The viper- brood should be scotched in the nest. II. WHAT SELF-SUPPRESSION WILL EFFECT. 1. It will prevent/uture evil. We C(m- not undo the past ; we cannot deny our inner self. But at least we may seek for grace that the sin may proceed no further. 2. It will prepai·e for better conduct. In itself it is but nflgative. It has the merit of sil1:nce. It is a" masterly inactivity." We must stop before we can turn back. There 1s therefore a moment of silence cessation even death, in the act of conversion. We cannot proceed at once from ev'u livina- t~ good service. St. Paul had his period of silence in Arabia. It would be an imme~se gain in this noisy age if we could practise more of the golden virtue. III. How SELF-SUPPRESSION MAY BE ATTAINED. "Lay thine hand upon thy mouth." To the noisy and expressive this is no more easy than it is for the a-lutton to "put a knife to" his" throat" when he is eating" with a ruler" (eh. xxiii. 1, 2). Frank and open natures are not able readily to recognize the merits of reticence, while, on the other hand, reserved and secretive natures shrink from a requisite confession. 1. There must be a perception oft~ evil of giving unrestrained vent to one's thoughts and desires. Many people do not perceive the dangers of speech. They blurt out the most unseemly things where the sensitive shrink into silence. But a horror of the harm that may be done by heedless words will assist in the cultivation of a habit of self-restraint. 2. There must be energy of will. The unrestrained nature that is a. victim to every rousing impression is no better than an unwa.lled city open to the invasion of the first cha.nee foe (eh. xxv. 28). Now, it is a work of Divine grace to strengthen the will so that the weak may acquire more control over themselves. At the first blush of it there seems to be more energy in noisy, bustling restlessness, while quiet self-restraint appears inert. But this results from a. very superficial view of life. Nothing less than Heaven-sent grace can make us strong enough to keep silent under great provocation or to be still ,when the heart is boiling over with passion.